Mount Vernon Section Far off in the Appalachian highlands a trickle Up the Potomac came Capt. John Smith in 1608—and begins the ancient course of the Potomac River. with his coming began the commerce of the colonists, for Crossing the Shenandoah Valley, through the Blue "potomack" itself meant "trading place." In 1634 settle­ Ridge Mountains, over the Piedmont to the sea— ments began—usually on the site of an earlier Indian splitting mountains that have risen beneath it— trading center or town—and from the first the colonists the Potomac reaches fulfillment where here it discovered that the Indians were excellent businessmen. meets the tides of the Chesapeake Bay. It is a river whose waters are mixed with those of the In 1726, Augustine established a planta­ Shenandoah, the Monocacy, the Anacostia . . . tion on LittleHunting Creek which eventually came into the mixed with many lives and much history of this possession of his son George. "No estate in the United great Nation. States is more pleasantly situated than this. It lies in high, dry, and healthy country ... on one of the finest After taking a final fumble over the Great and Little rivers in the world." This was early , and Falls northwest of Washington, the Potomac slows and the words were 's as he looked from spreads quietly to wide banks and rolling hills. Marsh­ his veranda over the wide river to the opposite shore. lands and tide pools along its banks have harbored for Many of the most distinguished men of the period paid thousands of years the wintering mallards and pintail and visits to Mount Vernon—men to whose ideas and inspira­ American widgeon. The sheltered wetlands, thick with tions our country owes its independence and foundation spatterdock and cattail and arrowhead, have fed fish to under the Constitution. herons and hungry egrets—hatched from as far as the southernmost swamps of Florida—and to great bald Few estates in the United States are as "pleasantly eagles wheeling over the river. situated" as Mount Vernon. Here and along the Memo­ rial Parkway that links Washington, D.C. with the home Among the earliest inhabitants were the Algonquian of the First President, much of what he saw remains. Indians who had their villages along the shore, usually Man, it is true, has displaced the wilderness—Fort Hunt, where some large stream entered. They trapped fish and Fort Washington across the river, the early homes, and turtles, and hunted through the woods of sweetgum, syca­ growing Alexandria, of course—to say nothing of modern more, and oak. They were the first to observe in early freeways or the turbojets shattering the air over Roaches spring the flowering of mayapple and serviceberry—the Run as they leave National Airport. But the banks of the shadbush which blooms as the shad begin their run up- Potomac still have their willows, alders, and birches; river to the spawning grounds. Then came dogwood and and, in autumn, red maple, oaks, dogwood, sumac, hick­ redbud, followed by wild azalea, and, in late spring, the ory, and many others still adorn the hillsides in bright yellow poplar. (Today many of the outstanding flower­ color. It has been many years since the last bear, or ing plants are those that have been introduced—the white-tailed deer was hunted. Yet the ancient flyways crabapple, forsythia, hawthorne, and pear of early fill with migrant birds in spring and autumn much as spring; the later-blooming mountain laurel; and the red- always; and, in summer, kingfishers, blackbirds, wrens, osier dogwood and daylilies of summer.) and wood thrushes are seen and heard along the way.

Landscaped primarily with native plants, the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway was completed in 1932 to commemorate the bicentennial of George Washington's birth. Over the years it has become a well-traveled route for those visiting his home, enjoying much of the same charm he enjoyed. Many walk the paths along the Poto­ mac, fish from its banks for carp or catfish or perch, or bird in the marshes or on the wooded hills. Others picnic, or explore Fort Hunt, or simply stroll the grounds of Mount Vernon and gaze out over the Potomac to the opposite shore, preserved today much as it looked many years ago. The Memorial Parkway /oins the Nation's Capital with the country­ side of George Washington—and the history of its cities and towns mixes with the memory of the wilderness they replaced.

The Arlington Memorial Bridge ® links the Custis-Lee Mansion with the Lincoln Memorial, and symbolizes the reunion of the North and South. Nearby is the Navy-Marine Memorial © (waves and gulls), dedicated to Americans who lost their lives at sea. Overlooking Columbia Island, and the lagoon, on the right, is the Penta­ gon © which houses the Department of Defense. It is open to the public 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary © (exhibits) is next on the right; it is the wintering ground for a number of species of ducks and other water birds. At Four Mile Run © is the site of an old Indian village, and across the river from this point was Nacotch- tank, a large Indian settlement. Near the inter­ section of Washington and Montgomery Streets © was the terminus of the Alexandria Canal, which joined the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal at George­ town. Alexandria, Va., © was founded in 1749 and first called Belle Haven. An important 18th- century seaport, the town carried on a lucrative commerce with the East and West Indies and some European ports. It contains many fine houses and buildings associated with George Washington— Christ's Church and Gadsby's Tavern are two of the most prominent. Additional information about historical Alexandria can be obtained from the Alexandria Tourist Council, Ramsay House, 221 King Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314.

Looking back to your left from the Hunting Creek Bridge ® is Jones Point, the southern cor­ ner of the original District of Columbia. From the inlet of Dyke Marsh ©to the Dyke Overlook @ and beyond is the marsh typical of much of the orig­ inal Potomac shoreline. Aquatic plants abound along the shore (a favorite habitat of marsh birds) and deep woods extend up the hillside with a ground cover of mayapple, jack-in-the-pulpit, bloodroot, and other flowering plants in spring. The modern development of Tauxemont © takes its name from the old Indian village once here. Next on the left is Collingwood ©, a large, white, colonial-type house. It is on land once part of the "Old River Farm" of the Mount Vernon estate. Originally, Mount Vernon was made up of four plantations, extending as far north as the under­ pass at Wellington Villa—4.5 miles south of Alex­ andria. On the right not far beyond is Fort Hunt @ (entrance) which once helped guard the river approach to Washington. There are 3 picnic areas for outings by groups of more than 50 per­ sons (1 having a shelter) for use by permit only. Two additional areas contain several picnic sites for smaller parties. From nearby Fort Washington Overlook© can be seen the ramparts of the sec­ ond Fort Washington, across the river. It was designed in 1814 by Major L'Enfant—who laid out the District of Columbia—and is now part of the National Capital Parks. Attractions at this park include the old fortifications, a scenic view of the river, and picnic sites. The final point on the map is Mount Vernon ©, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., March through September; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., October through February. The estate is managed by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, Mount Vernon, Va. 22121. The Little Hatchet Tavern near the entrance gate is open for break­ fast from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. and for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily—no dinners. Sou­ venirs are sold here. ADMINISTRATION

The George Washington Memorial Parkway is admin­ istered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The National Park System, of which this parkway is a unit, is dedicated to conserving the great natural, historic, and recreational areas of the United States, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people. For additional information, or picnic reservations for groups of 25 or more, address the Superintendent, Lynn Building, 1111 19th Street North, Arlington, Va. 22209, or telephone 381-7417.

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR—

the Nation's principal natural resource agency—bears a special obligation to assure that our expendable resources are conserved, that our renewable resources are managed to produce optimum benefits, and that all resources con­ tribute their full measure to the progress and prosperity of the United States, now and in the future.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE REVISED 1966 GPO : 1966 0—219-148 Mount Vernon Section